Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
High opportunity occupation
Career Overview
Electrical trades and telecommunications contractors own and operate their own telecommunications or electrical trade businesses.
Electrical trades and telecommunications contractors supervise and co-ordinate the activities of workers in the following occupational groups:
- Electricians (NOC 72200), Industrial electricians (NOC 72201)
- Power system electricians (NOC 72202)
- Electrical power line and cable workers (NOC 72203)
- Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers (NOC 72204)
- Telecommunications equipment installation and cable television service technicians (NOC 72205)
People in this occupation:
- Typically have a high level of technical knowledge
- Need good leadership and organizational skills
- Should enjoy working with and managing employees
- Must be able to coordinate and schedule activities, negotiate with clients and resolve problems under sometimes demanding conditions
Job Titles
Duties
Contractors and supervisors in this group perform some or all of the following duties:
- Supervise, coordinate and schedule the activities of workers who install, repair and maintain electrical wiring, fixtures and control devices, power systems, telecommunication systems and cablevision systems
- Establish methods to meet work schedules and co-ordinate work activities with other subcontractors or departments
- Request materials and supplies
- Solve work problems and recommend ways to improve productivity
- Train or arrange for training of workers
- Recommend personnel actions such as hiring and promotions
- Make sure work safety regulations are followed
- Prepare work progress reports
- May manage the operations of their own company
- May also supervise, coordinate and schedule the activities of related apprentices, helpers and labourers
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
3,885% Employed Full Time
75%Electrical trades and telecommunications contractors and supervisors often work long and irregular hours to complete projects on schedule. Overtime and extended workweeks are common, and workers may also have to be on call in case of emergencies.
Working conditions vary depending on the worksite. Work may be done indoors, in offices and industrial settings, or outdoors at places such as construction sites, where workers are exposed to weather. Work on construction sites and within power plants can be noisy and dirty.
Depending on the job, workers may have to temporarily relocate to construction projects in remote areas.
The nature of the work may be stressful at times, when unexpected delays are encountered.
Career Pathways
Most individuals in this occupational group start their careers in entry-level positions. To become a supervisor or contractor, workers should gain as much experience, on-the-job training and education as possible.
There is some movement between jobs within a specific trade. However, there is little or no movement between trades.
Small businesses' contractors may execute tasks within their trade area of expertise, which is generally not the case for supervisors or contractors associated with a medium or large business.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
Completion of secondary school is usually required. In addition, electrical trades and telecommunications contractors and supervisors should have extensive work experience in the electrical trades and telecommunication industries.
In B.C., an individual must be a certified journeyperson or apprentice to work as a contractor or supervisor in the electrician and power line technician trades. Completion of an apprenticeship program in an electrical or telecommunications trade is a good way to get started in this field. Apprenticeship programs:
- Involve a combination of work and in-class training.
- Require workers to find a sponsor employer willing to participate in the program.
For more information, please see SkilledTradesBC's website at https://skilledtradesbc.ca.
Many electrical or telecommunications apprenticeship programs offer the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal qualification, which allows holders to work in any province or territory.
For detailed educational options for a particular trade related to this occupational group, please see the following profiles:
- Electricians (NOC 72200)
- Industrial electricians (NOC 72201)
- Power system electricians (NOC 72202)
- Electrical power line and cable workers (NOC 72203)
- Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers (NOC 72204)
- Telecommunications equipment installation and cable television service technicians (NOC 72205)
Workers who are certified for an occupation by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information such as a letter of good standing, references, or criminal record check.
For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants.
Contact Technical Safety BC for details on how to apply for certification in B.C.
For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.
View a list of Professional Regulatory Authorities in B.C.
Education programs in B.C.
Top Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Motivating, developing and directing people as they work, and identifying the best people for the job.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
3,885Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 150 | 3.9% |
| Kootenay | 120 | 3.1% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 2,325 | 59.8% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 85 | 2.2% |
| Northeast | 55 | 1.4% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 520 | 13.4% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 635 | 16.3% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
1,850Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 80 | 1.0% |
| Kootenay | 40 | 0.0% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,180 | 1.8% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 20 | -0.9% |
| Northeast | 20 | 0.6% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 260 | 1.2% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 240 | 0.2% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Construction | 1,520 |
| Utilities | 90 |
| Information, Culture and Recreation | 80 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 30 |
| Manufacturing | 20 |
Insights from Industry
More than half of the job openings in the coming years will come from the need to replace retiring workers.
Some contractors and construction tradespersons rely on non-residential building activity to generate business.
Demand for these workers depends largely on growth in the Construction industry. Commercial, institutional and industrial construction activity is expected to increase. For example, government and private infrastructure projects will create opportunities in various regions of the province.
The Communications and Utilities industries also expect to see growth, which should translate into increased work opportunities for electrical trades and telecommunications contractors and supervisors. Expanding communications networks, such as cellular phones, wireless email and broadband internet will increase the demand for associated technical occupations.
While increased competition has resulted in some job reductions in the larger telecommunications companies, the industry is seeing overall job growth.
Resources
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Telecommunications Workers Unionusw1944.ca